Paychecks will be a lot lighter over the next few weeks as the Market Basket employee protest continues. Now more than 25,000 employees will be feeling even more wallet pain as their hours get reduced and quarterly bonuses shrink. As a loyal customer, former part-timer (Store #18 in Methuen) and now financial planner, I'm offering these financial planning tips for Market Basket employees to help ... Read More
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Black Friday Shopping Tips: Avoiding Post-Holiday Credit Blues
Black Friday is traditionally the day that can make or break a retailer's bottom line. But don't let enthusiasm for the season, the sales or the advertising hype end up putting you into the Red. Black Friday is here. Even before you may have had a chance to digest your Thanksgiving feast or recover from a day of football, you may have already been lured into the local mall. Maybe you were one ... Read More
Ask the Adviser: Paying for College by Shifting Assets – Worth the Trouble?
As noted in previous articles and posts, whether or not your student qualifies for federal financial aid for college will depend on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation. Typically, almost all assets and income are included in this calculation by financial aid officers. There are exceptions to all rules and in this case, federal aid formulas (under the "Federal Methodology") exclude ... Read More
Ask The Money Coach: Should I pay off the mortgage?
Given the roller coaster ride that stock market investors have experienced and the negligible rates offered by banks on savings, it's easy to see why someone might want to use their cash to pay off their mortgage. Being debt free is not only noble but can provide a buffer in tough times since you'll have one less cash outflow each month. For every dollar you pay off in a mortgage, your rate of ... Read More
